Bangladesh HC Orders Security for Hindus

IndiaTimes

March 04, 2013

DHAKA: Bangladesh High Court today ordered the government to take steps for the security of the minority Hindu community in southeastern Begumganj where suspected rightwing activists attacked several temples and houses during clashes over 1971 war crimes trial in the past three days.

"The court asked the government to take steps to ensure the minority community's security and repair their temples and houses which were damaged in the attacks," a spokesman of the attorney general's office said.

He said the High Court bench comprising judges AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Mahmudul Haque issued a suo moto notice ordering the local district and police administration, the home secretary and the inspector general of police "to take proper action against persons responsible for ransacking and damaging the houses, temples and other places of worship".

The order came as several newspapers and television channels published and telecast the news of ransacking and torching of houses of Hindus and their temples by fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami activists on Thursday as part of their violent campaign to thwart the ongoing trial of their leaders for 1971 war crimes.

The reports said at least five temples and 36 Hindu houses were vandalised or torched at Begumganj sub-district of Noakhali.